Eye On Illinois: Politicians shouldn’t need a growth mindset to show work to constituents

The state’s budgeting process can seem like a game where a ball is batted across a net between the governor and lawmakers.

In addition to the serve – the annual address where the chief executive proposes spending – there are several volleys, like deficit and revenue projections from various forecasting bodies.

On Nov. 1 the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget submitted its annual Economic and Fiscal Policy Report (tinyurl.com/GOMB2024) projecting estimated expenditures in fiscal 2026 “would exceed revenues by $3.173 billion.”

Before the Feb. 19 budget address, Gov. JB Pritzker announced an improved revenue forecast, but last week the General Assembly’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability dropped its own report suggesting the actual income will be $737 million shy of the figure used to build the budget.

These differences offer multiple rhetorical directions. The leftist optimist would say even a $737 million difference is significantly more manageable than $3.173 billion. Right-leaning budget hawks prefer reining and reducing existing spending, let alone worrying about growing the budget. There’s a small “well, actually” corner that might focus on lessons of the current fiscal year, which COGFA predicts will close with $333 million more than lawmakers budgeted, but still $286 million shy of GOMB’s estimate.

All valid conversations. But I’m feeling more of a macro bent: all the projections, reports and proposals, the individual volleys, echo in the larger context of elected officials trying to build resumes. We voted for you, but what did you do? Many legislative proposals require some form of spending, either new state appropriations or mandates for smaller governments and the private sector to find cash to become compliant.

If you can cut spending without reducing services, great! But “we didn’t spend more” often lacks the campaign resonance of new programs. Government isn’t a business that must perpetually grow to establish value for investors. Yet some politicians seemingly adopt that framing with respect to taxpayers.

MADE IN ILLINOIS: Every winter I try to shed light on possible holiday gift items with a Prairie State flavor. The spirit returns in midwinter when the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association begins its annual tournament to crown “The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.” The 2024 champion was a Komatsu mining truck. Made in Peoria, the top capacity is 400 tons.

Past winners include the Rosenberg Space Habitat, from Ingersoll Machine Tools (2023), Rivian R1T electric truck (2022), a Termico Technologies self-regulating traffic signal heater (2021) and Caterpillar’s 797F mining vehicle (2020), then the world’s largest mechanical truck.

There were more than 200 nominees last year. Earlier this year the IMA accepted nominations through makersmadnessil.com. Preliminary voting runs through March 16, the top 16 voting starts March 18 and the winner is announced April 9.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.